Envelop-opener or paper-cutter.



No. 719.906. v Y l PATBNTED FEB. 3, 1903.

` W. 0.v THOMPSON.v

ENVELOP OPENER AND PAPER GUTTER. APPLIoATIoN FILED JUNE 1o, 1902.

@@mm OZf/ 7%@ INITED STA-*rss ATENT ENVELOP-OPEN ER QR PAPER-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 719,906, dated. February 3, 1903.

Application filed June 10,1902. Serial No. 111,011. (No model.)

To LZ/Z when?, it may concern:

Be itknown that I, WILLIAM O. THOMPSON, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia,State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Envelop-Openers or Paper-Cutters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of a novel construction of an envelop cutter or opener, the 0bject being to provide a device by means of which the cutting or opening of an envelop is facilitated and can be accomplished readily and quickly, while the contents thereof are protected.

Figure l represents a perspective View of an envelop-cutter constructed in accordance with my invention and showing the manner in which it is employed. Fig. 2 represents a plan thereof, taken from the side opposite that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a fragmentary view of a slightly-modified construction. Fig. 4. represents a perspective lview illustrating a different form of handle.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

Referring to the drawings, A designates an envelop-opener, consisting of a handle B and a blade C. In the drawings the handle B is offset or extends in a plane different from the blade C, although this may be varied, so that the blade C may be placed fiat upon a table and the handle grasped in an obvious manner.

In Fig. 2 the blade is shown as curved, and in accordance with the principle of my invention the outer end portion of the cutting side is dull, as shown at D, while the inner end portion of the blade (designated by E) is sharp. The extremity of the blade is deiiected, as shown at F, and is also sharpened.

The construction shown in Fig. 3 diers from the form shown in Figs. l and 2 only in that the cutting side of the blade is straight instead of curved.

In the form shown in Fig. 4f the blade C is the same as shown in Figs. l and 2; but the handle is constructed differently. Said handle is designated by G, and the main portion thereof extends in the same plane as the blade C. At one side said main portion G of the handle is provided with an upturned flange or nger-piece II, which can be grasped by the fingers to manipulate the cutter, it being noted that the device may lie iiat upon a table-that is to say, both the blade and the main portion G of the handle are in the same plane.

The manner in which this cutter is einployed is as follows: The upturned sharpened point of the blade is inserted under the sealing-Hap, and the dull portion D acts as a feed to bring the sharpened portion E of the blade to the creaseof the flap, which is severed from end to end, while the sharpened point F will pass through the end of the envelop at the termination of the stroke, and thus insure the cutting of the entire base edge of the sealing-Hap.

The advantage which I claim for this device over the ordinary envelop-cutters is that I am enabled to readily and easily cut the sealingiiap without the cutter leaving the envelop, for when the blade is inserted the dull portion D by reason of the fact that it will not cut the base of the iiap feeds the hap to the sharpened portion E and keeps the blade within the envelop untilthe strokeis complete. The sharpened point F cuts the end fold of the envelop adjacent the cut fold of the sealing-Hap at the termination of the stroke, and thus the entire edge of the flap is cut.

Another advantage which I claim is that the end F of the blade being deflected u pwardly prevents the end of the knife from coming in contact with the contents of the lenvelop and cutting the same, which often happens in using the ordinary paper-cutter, where the tendency is to insert a considerable portion of the knife into the envelop in order to sever the sealing-flap in one stroke.

I am aware that it has been proposed to construct an envelop opener or cutter having a dull or blunt point, the function of the dull or blunt point being to act as a guide for the sharpened edge-that is to say, that the dull or blunted edge in making the stroke would traverse the crease at the base of the envelop ap. My invention is to be distinguished from this in that I dull the end portion of the cutting side of the blade, so that when the stroke is made lthis dull portion traverses the crease and keeps the point out of contact with the crease. Thus in the reference the point traverses the crease and in making a quick stroke or onaccount of some IOC inequality in the paper it mightpuncture the crease, Whereas in my invention the point is kept away from the crease by the dull end portion of the cutting side of the blade.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A cutter ofthe kind specified, consisting of a blade having a sharpened inner end p0rtion, and a dull outer end portion situated inwardly of the point of the blade, said dull portion serving to guide the sharpened portion toward the material being cut and to prevent the point from contacting therewith.

2. A cutterof the kind specified, consisting of a blade having a. curved edge, theinner end portion of said curved edge being sharpened, and the outer end portion of said curved edge inwardly of the point thereofbeng dull, said dull outer end portion of the blade serving to guide the sharpened portion thereof and to prevent the point of the blade from contacting With the material being cut.

3. A cutter of the kind specified, provided with a blade the extremity of Whichis deiiected from the plane of the blade and having a dull outer end portion.

4t. A cutter of the kind specied, provided with a blade and having a deflected and sharpened point.

5. A cutter of the kind specified, provided with a blade having a sharpened point, a portion of the edge thereof adjacent said point being dull, and a portion of the blade in the rear of said dull portion being sharpened.

6. A cutter of the kind specified, provided With a blade havingadefiected and sharpened point, a dull portion in the rear of said point, and a sharpened portion in the rear of said dull portion.

7. A cutter of the kind specified, provided with a blade and having a deflected point.

WILLIAM O. THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM, WM. CANER WIEDERSHEIM. 

